Method and apparatus for regulating air flow through supply conduits through which product entrained in an air flow is provided to multiple on-row product containers of an agricultural implement

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a method and apparatus to improve seed distribution to a plurality of seed or row units of an agricultural planter. Each row unit is fitted with a seed box having an air/seed inlet and an air outlet through which air is allowed to escape. The present invention effectively closes off or substantially reduces the flow of air out of one or more of the seed boxes to reduce the amount of seed that is fed to the seed boxes. Through the use of restrictor plates, which may be vented to allow some air flow or solid to prevent air flow, the delivery of seed to the seed boxes can be equalized to provide more uniform seed distribution to the row units.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/480,016, entitled “Method And Apparatus For Regulating Air FlowThrough Supply Conduits Through Which Product Entrained In An Airflow IsProvided To Multiple On-Row Product Containers Of An AgriculturalImplement,” filed on Jun. 8, 2009 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,866,269, which ishereby incorporated in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to agricultural implementshaving a bulk delivery system that supplies product entrained in aforced air flow to multiple on-row hoppers through multiple supplyconduits, which may include supply conduits of different lengths, and,more particularly, to a method and apparatus for equalizing distributionof an air/seed mixture to a plurality of on-row hoppers or seed boxes.

Row crop planters typically consist of six or more individual plantingor seed units, commonly referred to as “row units”, attached to a toolbar or frame that is towed across a planting surface by a towingvehicle, e.g., tractor. Planters with as many as 36 row units areincreasingly common. These row units are either supplied with seed byindividual “on-row” hoppers (seed boxes) or by a central systemconsisting of one or more large tanks. For planters having a centralfill system, seed is delivered from the central tank(s) to theindividual row units through distribution hoses (runs). Typically, anair delivery system entrains the seed in a forced air stream that is fedto the individual row units. The product is dumped into localizedstorage tanks for the row units. Each of the localized storage tank hasa vented air outlet through which air passes to vent the air toatmosphere. The use of a central tank and distribution network allowsfor increased seed storage and hence less stops to reload seed. Inaddition, when refilling is necessary, only the large storage tanks needto be refilled, which also saves stoppage time.

While generally effective, there are some issues with distributing seedor other granular product from a central tank(s) to the individual rowunits. More particularly, the lengths of the distribution hoses are notthe same for each row unit. That is, the length of the distributionhoses increases as the distances from the row units from the centraltank(s) increase. As a result, air distribution may be undesirablyuneven through runs or distribution hoses of different lengths. Whilesome deviation may be tolerated, too high a differential can lead toplugging on short runs and insufficient product delivery on long runs.

Therefore, there is a need for a product distribution system for usewith a planter that is capable of providing greater equalization betweendistribution hoses or runs of different lengths and as a result, moreuniform seed collection by the row units.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks byselectively restricting air flow through the air vents of the localizedstorage tanks for the individual row units. In operation, multipleproduct/air streams are fed from one or more central tanks to the rowunits. Each row unit has a corresponding “on-row” hopper or storage tankwhere the product is collected. The product may then be fed from theon-row hoppers to the dispensing ports of seed units for depositing theproduct onto the planting surface. In this regard, the on-row hoppershave an air/product inlet and a product outlet. The on-row hoppers alsohave air outlets that allows air to escape. In order to equalize, orotherwise control the flow of air, and seed, through the various runs ofdistribution hoses, the present invention provides an apparatus thatrestricts the escape of air from one or more of the on-row hoppers. Inone preferred implementation, the present invention restricts air escapefor those on-row hoppers that are flow coupled to the central tank(s) bya short distribution hose, without changing the escapement of air fromthe on-row hoppers flow coupled to the central tank(s) by a longerdistribution hose. By restricting air escapement from the on-row hoppersassociated with the shorter runs, the differentials in air pressure forall the on-row hopper distribution lines can be reduced. Thus, thepresent invention makes it possible to have a uniform product collectionacross all runs despite the differences in run lengths. In anotherimplementation, a desired, uneven distribution may be obtained throughjudicious restriction of air exhaustion from the on-row hoppers.

It will be appreciated that the present invention, when compared tometer-box orifices or diverter plates, is believed to offer a number ofperformance and cost advantages. For example, it is believed thatrestrictor plates mounted to the on-row hoppers adjacent to the airoutlets provide less air disturbance, and hence less power loss,compared to other proposed solutions, such as the aforementionedmeter-box orifices or diverter plates. Additionally, it is believed thatrestrictor plates provide greater air flow control and are morereliable. It is also believed that the restrictor plates may beinstalled relatively easily and may also be used to retrofit existingplanters.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a row crop planterincludes a tool bar adapted to be towed along a planting surface by atowing vehicle. A bulk fill hopper assembly is supported by the tool barand is configured to store product to be deposited onto the plantingsurface. The planter includes a plurality of planting units supported bythe tool bar and a plurality of on-row hoppers associated with theplurality of planting units and flow coupled to the bulk fill hopper.Each on-row hopper is configured to receive product entrained in anair/product stream from the bulk fill hopper and store product for arespective one of the planting units. Each on-row hopper includes anair/product inlet, a product outlet flow coupled to a respective one ofthe planting units, and an air outlet through which air may beexhausted. One or more restriction plates are mounted within one or moreon-row hoppers to restrict air exhaustion from the one or more on-rowhoppers.

According to another aspect of the invention, a row crop planter isprovided. The planter includes a tool bar adapted to be towed along aplanting surface by a towing vehicle. A bulk fill assembly is mounted tothe tool bar and includes a bulk fill hopper adapted to hold product tobe deposited onto the planting surface. A product conveyance assembly isoperative to control the flow of product from the bulk fill hopper. Theplanter includes also includes a plurality of planting units mounted tothe tool bar, which includes a first planting unit and a second plantingunit. A first on-row hopper is associated with the first planting unitand a second on-row hopper is associated with the second planting unit.Each on-row hopper includes a product holding tank supported by the toolbar, an inlet in fluid communication with the bulk fill hopper such thatproduct entrained in a forced air stream is delivered to the productholding tank through the inlet, a product outlet through which productis delivered from the product holding tank to an associated plantingunit outlet, and an air outlet through which air is exhausted from theproduct holding tank. A first cover plate is mounted to the productholding tank for the first on-row hopper to allow air flow through theair outlet from the product holding tank at a first flow rate. A secondcover plate is mounted to the product holding tank for the second on-rowhopper to allow air flow through the air outlet from the product holdingtank at a second flow rate greater than the first flow rate. In oneembodiment, the first flow rate is substantially less than the secondflow rate.

Other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription and accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however,that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicatingpreferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way ofillustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications maybe made within the scope of the present invention without departing fromthe spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which like reference numerals represent likeparts throughout.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of an agricultural planter according to oneaspect of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of the agricultural planter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a row unit assembly of the agriculturalplanter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an on-row hopper of the row unitassembly;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the on-row hopper of FIG. 4 illustratingvarious air flow restrictor members that may be used with the on-rowhopper and to control the flow of air out of the on-row hopper;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a bulk fill assembly and a plurality ofrow units in which restrictor plates according to the present inventionare used to provide a desired flow profile for the plurality of rowunits.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there isshown an agricultural work system 10 that includes an agricultural workvehicle, such as tractor 12 that tows an agricultural implement 14,which is depicted as a multi-row pivot transport seeder. Seeder 14 caninclude a toolbar 16 with left and right marker assemblies 18, 20 thatare attached to left and right ends 22, 24 of toolbar 16, respectively.Supports 25 can support marker assemblies 18, 20 when in a foldedposition.

Seeder 14 can include other elements such as drawbar 26 for connectionto tractor 12, large storage tanks 28, 29 which provide seeds to row orseed units 30, and platform and gate assembly 32 for accessing andfilling large seed hoppers 28, 29. Row or planting units 30 can includea variety of elements for dispensing seed, fertilizer, pesticide,herbicide and other agricultural materials. Such elements can include,but are not limited to, a furrow opening apparatus, gage wheels, a pairof lateral spaced, or staggered, furrow opener discs, a runner-typeopener for providing a furrow in the ground, a pair of furrow closerdiscs, a seed meter, a press wheel arranged in fore-and-aft relationshiprelative to each other, and an agricultural chemical hopper.Additionally, seeder 14 can have planting units 30 with individual seedboxes in addition to the large storage tanks 28, 29.

As noted above, the seeder 14 has a pair of bulk fill storage tanks orhoppers 28, 29. Bulk fill hopper 28 holds seed for the seed units 30mounted to the left wing of frame 16 and bulk fill hopper 29 holds seedfor the seed units 30 mounted to the right wing of frame 16. The seedunits 30 are flow coupled to its bulk fill hopper by supply hoses 34.Seed is metered from the bulk fill hopper 28 to the hoses by a seedmetering assembly 36, as known in the art.

Referring now to FIG. 3, as known in the art, each seed or row unit 30includes a furrow opening apparatus 38 having furrow opening discs (notshown) and furrow closing discs 40, 42 and a packer wheel 44. Theopening discs (not shown) cut a furrow into the planting surface andseed (or fertilizer) is deposited into the furrow. Thereafter, thefurrow closing discs 40,42 and trailing packer wheel 44 causes soil tofall back into the furrow to cover the seed and then packs the plantingsurface. Each row unit 30 also includes an on-row hopper (ormini-hopper) 46 where seed is fed to the row unit 30 from thecentralized storage tanks 28 or 29 is collected and stored. In aconventional manner, the seed is drawn from the on-row hopper 46 and isdeposited into a furrow formed in the planting surface that issubsequently closed by discs 40 and 42 and packed by wheel 44.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the on-row hopper 46 is generallycomprised of a seed box 50 having an air/seed inlet 52 through whichseed entrained in a forced air flow is fed to the seed box 50. The seedbox 50 also has a seed outlet (not shown) from which seed is drawn anddeposited onto the planting surface. Formed along the interior walls ofthe seed box 50 is a pair of flanges 54, 56 that collectively define achannel or groove 58. The groove 58 is sized to receive an outer edge ofa flow restrictor member 60 that is mounted within the seed box 50. Therestrictor member 60 is designed to allow air to escape from the seedbox 50 without letting seed escape. The flow restrictor 60 has agenerally planar member 62 with a plurality of holes or orifices 64formed therein. The orifices 64 are sized such that seed cannot passthrough them but air is allowed to escape. Thus, seed entrained in theforced air flow will effectively drop from the air flow as the airpasses through the flow restrictor 60. The air that passes through therestrictor 62 then passes through an air outlet (designated by arrow 65)formed in the lower surface of the seed box 50. In this regard, the flowrestrictor 60 effectively divides the seed box into a seed collectionportion and an air venting portion.

As seed is collected in the seed box 50, the orifices 64 of the flowrestrictor 60 will become blocked. As the orifices become blocked, lessair will be allowed to escape from the seed box 50. As (substantially)all of the orifices 64 become blocked, a back pressure will develop inthe supply hose to the seed box that will significantly decrease seeddelivery to the seed box 50. Thus, when the seed box is (substantially)full, additional seed will not be fed to the seed box 50. As seed isdrawn from the seed box 50 and deposited onto the planting surface, theback pressure will reduce as air is allowed to escape, and more seedwill be fed to the seed box.

As shown in FIG. 1, the row units 30 are spaced laterally away from thestorage tanks 28, 29. As a result, longer supply hoses are used to flowcouple the seed boxes of the outer row units than those used for theinner row units. These differences in hose lengths can greatly impactseed distribution to the row units. In other words, as the air pressureat the seed metering system 36 is relatively fixed, air flow through theshorter hoses will be greater than the air flow through the longerhoses. That is, the back pressure in the shorter hoses is less than theback pressure in the longer hoses. This creates a flow differential thatcan lead to plugging of the shorter hoses or runs and insufficient seeddelivery to those seed boxes associated with the longer hoses or runs.

The inventors have found that this back pressure differential can benullified, or exploited in a desired manner, through the judicious useof restrictors 60 having different flow characteristics. Three exemplaryrestrictors are shown in FIG. 5. Restrictor 60(a) is similar to thatshown in FIG. 4 and includes a densely packed plurality of smallorifices 64(a) formed in a planar member 62(a). Restrictor 60(b) issimilar to restrictor 60(a) as it includes a plurality of orifices 64(b)formed in a planar member 62(b). Compared to restrictor 60(a), orifices64(b) are spaced farther apart. While generally the same size as theorifices 64(a) of restrictor 60(a), the spacing of the orifices 64(b)will cause less air to pass through restrictor 60(b) compared torestrictor 60(a). Restrictor 60(c), unlike the aforedescribedrestrictors, is designed to greatly reduce, if not substantiallyeliminate, the exhaustion of air from the seed box 50 through the airoutlet. The restrictor 60(c) has a solid member 62(c) and is thereforesubstantially free of any orifices or other openings that wouldotherwise allow air to escape the seed box. As known, the row units arenot airtight assemblies. As a result, for a seed box outfitted withrestrictor 60(c), air would be prevented from being exhausted throughthe air outlet, but could be exhausted through various other escapepoints of the row unit.

FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a configuration in which the row units30 are segmented into two sets: an inner set 30(a) and an outer set30(b). In this configuration, each of the seed boxes for the inner set30(a) of row units is outfitted with a restrictor that substantiallyblocks air flow through the air outlet, such as restrictor 60(c). Eachof the seed boxes for the outer set 30(b) of row units is outfitted witha vented restrictor that allows air flow, such as restrictors 60(a) and60(b).

In another preferred embodiment, the row units are segmented into threesets based on their spacing from the centralized storage tanks 28, 29.The set farthest from the tanks could be outfitted with restrictors60(a) and the set closest to the tanks could be outfitted with therestrictors 60(c). The set between those two sets could be outfittedwith restrictors 60(b). With such a configuration, the pressuredifferential described above could be lowered so that seed is fed to theplurality of row units in a more uniform manner.

It is understood that the number, size, and shape of the openings couldbe different from those illustrated in the foregoing figures. It is alsocontemplated that the number of restrictors could be different from thatdescribed herein. That is, it is contemplated that each row unit couldhave a unique restrictor based on the length of the hose that flowcouples the seed box for the row unit to the seed metering assembly.

It will be appreciated that the present invention provides for balancedseed (or other granular material) distribution for agricultural plantershaving numerous distribution hoses or runs. Moreover, the presentinvention may be used to retrofit existing seed boxes in a costeffective manner to provide for improved balancing. It is believed thatthe present invention provides operational advantages over otherbalancing techniques. For instance, it is believed that the presentinvention provides less air disturbance (and hence less powerrequirements), better control, and more reliability than other proposedsolutions.

Many changes and modifications could be made to the invention withoutdeparting from the spirit thereof. The scope of these changes willbecome apparent from the appended claims.

1. A method of supplying seed entrained in a forced air flow from acentralized source to a plurality of row units, comprising: for a firstset of row unit assemblies, forcing air, with seed entrained therein, tothe first set of row unit assemblies and allowing air to escape from thefirst set of row unit assemblies at a first flow rate as the seed iscollected in the first set of row unit assemblies; and for a second setof row unit assemblies, forcing air, with seed entrained therein, to thesecond set of row unit assemblies and allowing air to escape from thesecond set of row unit assemblies at a second flow rate less than thefirst flow rate as the seed is collected in the second set of row unitassemblies; wherein the second set of row unit assemblies are flowcoupled to the centralized source via conduits that are shorter inlength than those flow coupling the first set of row unit assemblies tothe centralized source; wherein each row unit assembly has a hopper, anair/seed inlet, a seed outlet, and an air outlet, and further comprisinga first set of cover plates mounted to the first set of on-row hoppers,the first set of cover plates having a plurality of orifacestherethrough to allow air exhaustion from the first set of on-rowhoppers through the orifaces; and a second set of cover plates mountedto the second set of on-row hoppers, the second set of cover platesbeing free of orifaces to substantially prevent air exhaustion from thesecond set of on-row hoppers through the second set of cover plates. 2.The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of orifices adjacent theair outlet for each of the first set of row unit assemblies and mountinga member substantially free of any orifices adjacent the air outlet foreach of the second set of row unit assemblies.
 3. The method of claim 1wherein said plurality of first orifices adjacent the air outlet foreach of the first set of row unit assemblies and mounting a memberhaving a plurality of second orifices adjacent the air outlet for eachof the second set of row unit assemblies, wherein the second orificesare smaller than the first orifices.
 4. The method of claim 1 whereinsaid plurality of first orifices adjacent the air outlet for each of thefirst set of row unit assemblies and mounting a member having aplurality of second orifices adjacent the air outlet for each of thesecond set of row unit assemblies, wherein the second orifices arespaced farther apart from one another than the first orifices.